Originally posted by divegeester If death is death then "resting" is an illogical adjective. I'm sure you would agree with that.
No, I do not agree with that. 'Eternal rest' is a perfectly valid phrase. Even for someone who doesn't believe in life after death, I see nothing wrong with them poetically calling death rest.
Originally posted by divegeester I have no idea what you mean by saying "God damn it"; this is the whole point of my OP. So what prompts you to say "God" damn it, when you are a rational atheist?
When someone uses the F word, do you think they mean it literally?
Originally posted by divegeester I haven't heard anyone say "bless you" when I've sneezed for years. I hear and read "RIP" all the time. Every month when someone socially familiar dies, the social network cries "REST IN PEACE".
Originally posted by DeepThought No, according to twhitehead's reference above the expression is mentioned by Pliny and goes back to at least 77 AD, it is not connected with bubonic plague.
I am not so sure it is mentioned by Pliny. The given reference says 'salute' without saying whether actual words are used.
Originally posted by divegeester Why not say "I'll miss them" or "terrible loss"?
For a start, those don't always apply. I would not say the former about someone I didn't know well, and the latter implies an important job was held, or something along those lines. Nether would be appropriate for a friends parent. 'Condolences' would be much better.
Originally posted by twhitehead No, I do not agree with that. 'Eternal rest' is a perfectly valid phrase. Even for someone who doesn't believe in life after death, I see nothing wrong with them poetically calling death rest.
Just because YOU don't see anything wrong with it, doesn't make it "perfectly valid". Maybe this is an insight into how your thoughts are expressed here sometimes.
Originally posted by twhitehead For a start, those don't always apply. I would not say the former about someone I didn't know well, and the latter implies an important job was held, or something along those lines. Nether would be appropriate for a friends parent. 'Condolences' would be much better.
Why would you have to know somebody very well in order to miss them? Did the millions of people who will miss David Bowie and his contributions know him very well?
Originally posted by divegeester I was reading some stuff about Marc Bolan, who died 39 years ago this weekend, and people were all saying RIP etc. I think this is a odd thing to say, especially when atheists (or non religious/spiritual people) say it. It implies sleeping until ... until what? Resurrection? Well Bolan certainly wasn't a Christian, nor was Bowie for that matter, nor most of the celebrities who die and the public say "RIP" over. I just find it odd. Thoughts?
Originally posted by twhitehead It is the polite thing to say.
On social media you can be silent without fear of being impolite. One can also use other terms to express loss or sorrow with having to invoke religious terminology. Maybe there is something deeper.
On reflection I do think it a reasonable thing for even an atheist to say given the social norms associated with it. However I do still wonder if in some cases there is a deeper hope attached to it.
Originally posted by divegeester Just because YOU don't see anything wrong with it, doesn't make it "perfectly valid".
Yes, actually it does. Language is 'perfectly valid' if at least one person sees nothing wrong with it.
Maybe this is an insight into how your thoughts are expressed here sometimes. Tell us what that 'insight' is instead of hinting vaguely at something without having the guts to say it.
Originally posted by divegeester No they mean it emotionally. Do you mean it rationally what you say "God damn it"?
I generally don't swear, but if I did, I would not mean it rationally, nor would I expect anyone to assume that I did. I am fairly sure that you wouldn't either when you said 'God damn it'. Seriously, do you really think God would send a nail to hell just because you missed it with a hammer?
Originally posted by divegeester Why would you have to know somebody very well in order to miss them? Did the millions of people who will miss David Bowie and his contributions know him very well?
I think you could reasonably say that those people think they knew David Bowie.
19 Sep '16 12:36
"Rest in Peace"
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